When it was proposed that Cork would follow in the footsteps of Dublin and introduce a 30 km/h speed limit in the City Centre, I asked myself one question; is this good for Cork? I entered politics with one goal: to serve my City to the best of my ability and for the betterment it’s Citizens. When proposals relating to the City have come before me as they do weekly at Council, the overriding deciding factor is what benefit it will be for the people of Cork City. No matter which avenue my train of thought took me I came to one conclusion; this would be a disaster for the City Centre.
Cork City Centre is already crucified by clamping and bad parking policies. There is already a perception that we are Ireland’s clamping Capital. These are problems which have forced businesses to either close down indefinitely or try to relocate to the suburbs to salvage business which they lost in the City Centre due to some of the worst parking policies put in place by Cork City Council.
The ultra-low speed limit is one of the worst decisions ever made this will frustrate ordinary traffic and infuriate careful motorists. The 30km/h zones only work when they are engineered properly in traffic-calmed areas, which are self-policing. Applying them en-masse on roads engineered for high volumes at flowing speeds is absurd. This is beginning to become a bit beyond the joke that we are continually being spoon-fed these measures of over regulation and being told they are good for us and that they will keep us safe. I believe that we need to step up and become more responsible about our driving and take heed of those around us, rather then have this legislated for us by local government.
Other City Councils in Limerick and Waterford have no plan to follow Dublin’s failed lead, I see no reason why we should play little Sir Echo and try and imitate the Capital in the interests of what some see as progress. I think if we are to be imitating policies it should be policies of cities which make a positive difference to the lives of people. So maybe we should look to Waterford and Limerick and say no to this proposal to introduce the speed limit that has failed in Dublin and has become a huge source of contention by a variety of sectors across Dublin City.
In this City I do not want us to adopt proposals that are bad for residents, business people or motorists who want to come in and do business the City. It begs the question is this City open or closed for business due to the crippling over regulation our business people are burdened with.
I would much prefer to see the €45,000 which has been allocated to the Council by the Department of Transport to be spent on introducing other forms of traffic calming measures and signage across the City.
